The 28-year-old is facing an uphill battle to save his international career, despite a dazzling start to the season at Stamford Bridge
Since making his England debut as a fresh-faced 17-year-old way back in 2012, Raheem Sterling has established himself as one of finest players of his generation. He burst onto the scene at Liverpool before becoming a global star at Manchester City, and for a long time, he was the first name on Gareth Southgate's team sheet.
Sterling has contributed 20 goals and 27 assists to England's cause across 82 appearances to date, with 22 of those outings coming at major tournaments. He was particularly influential during his country's run to the Euro 2020 final, finding the net against Croatia, the Czech Republic and Germany – before playing the full 120 minutes of their final defeat to Italy.
Even after a frustrating start to life to Chelsea following his £47.5 million ($58m) transfer from the Etihad Stadium in July 2022, Sterling was still an automatic pick for the World Cup in Qatar. His club form had also been erratic in his final two years at City, but Southgate always defended his star forward and trusted him to perform on the international stage.
That has all changed in recent times, though, with Sterling yet to feature for England in 2023. Southgate left the Chelsea star out for the fourth squad in a row ahead of the upcoming fixtures against Australia and Italy, raising major question marks over his future.
Sterling has every right to feel betrayed. He has been one of the standout Premier League performers in the early months of the 2023-24 campaign and deserves to be back in the England picture.
The Three Lions are on the cusp of qualifying for next summer's European Championship, and will need a full-strength squad if they are to go all the way in Germany. It would be a travesty if Sterling does not make the plane, but it is a very real possibility right now, with Southgate's baffling selection calls threatening to derail England's latest bid for silverware…
Getty Images'Show the manager he's wrong'
Sterling only managed to score nine goals across all competitions in his debut season for Chelsea, who slumped to their worst-ever Premier League finish under the new Todd Boehly-led ownership regime.
The Blues have spent over £1 billion ($1.2bn) on new players over the past year, including the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer. But instead of shrinking further into the background after Mauricio Pochettino's appointment as head coach, Sterling has knuckled down to rediscover his very best form.
Pochettino has not found an instant winning formula at Stamford Bridge, but the Blues are gradually clicking into gear, recording back-to-back victories heading into the latest international break. The potential of the squad was clear for all to see in their 4-1 rout of Burnley at Turf Moor last time out, and Sterling was the main man.
The 28-year-old had a hand in all four goals, starting with a cross that forced an own goal from Ameen Al-Dakhil to bring Chelsea level just before half-time. He won the penalty that Palmer converted to put the visitors ahead in the 50th minute, and then got on the scoresheet himself with a superb arrowed finish after Conor Gallagher spotted his intelligent run in behind.
Sterling was also the architect of the move that led to Jackson rounding off the win, which capped a Man-of-the-Match display. He was similarly influential during Chelsea's earlier fixtures against Liverpool and Luton Town, scoring twice in the latter, and Pochettino has been delighted with his efforts.
"He is a very mature player with experience and he knows he needs to perform and show the manager of the national team he is wrong," the Argentine boss said after the Burnley game. "I am so happy for him and the team."
AdvertisementGettyMixed messages
It's pretty clear already that Southgate is in the wrong when it comes to Sterling. It initially seemed like he had a clear route back into the England squad for the October break as injuries to Eberechi Eze and Callum Wilson opened up two attacking spots.
However, West Ham's Jarrod Bowen and Aston Villa frontman Ollie Watkins got the nod ahead of Sterling, with Southgate inviting "different competition". The England boss told a press conference when quizzed on his decision: "There is a battle now, without a doubt. For a long period of time Raheem was the one that was scoring goals for us and his club.
"We now have goals from [Bukayo] Saka, [Phil] Foden, [Marcus] Rashford. [Jack] Grealish is a different type of wide player, now we're getting goals form Jude [Bellingham]. We're not just reliant on Harry Kane.
"For a long time it was Harry and Raheem that were knocking up the goals. But there's a different competition in place. With Jarrod Bowen, there's an opportunity with the Australia game to have a look at somebody we don't know as much about. He's been with us, but not as much as Raheem.
"We know what Raheem is capable of and Bowen has got five goals in seven games, so in terms of the opportunity opened up with Eze and Wilson out, Watkins and Bowen are both in a hot streak of form. That's the thinking."
It was well-measured explanation from Southgate, but he followed up by suggesting that Sterling is now facing an uphill task to make it to Euro 2024 as he strives to keep the "togetherness" of the group intact after September fixtures against Ukraine and Scotland.
"It is always about the team. It has to be about the team. Consistency allows that," he added. "You live experiences together and going to Poland and playing Ukraine in that environment. Going to Hampden and facing that environment like we did. There is a bond that is built for the whole group and that is what comes from continuity."
GettySalt in the wounds
Sterling is understandably unhappy with his ongoing exile from the England squad, as Southgate admitted last month. “It’s a difficult call and Raheem is not particularly happy about it, but I understand that because he’s an important player for us," he told reporters. "He will always say ‘look, I respect your decision’ but of course he wants to get back in the group. And I wouldn’t expect that to be any other way."
According to the , Sterling did not receive another heads-up phone-call before Southgate's latest squad announcement. The Chelsea attacker is no longer being kept in the loop, despite his decade-long service for the Three Lions.
But of all the snubs Sterling has faced this year, not being called up as a replacement for Saka would surely have stung the most. The Arsenal winger was forced off in three successive games with a niggling hamstring problem before being left out of the Gunnners' 1-0 Premier League victory over Manchester City on Sunday.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta subsequently insisted that Saka would not be available for England, but he did not formally withdraw from Southgate's squad until being assessed by national-team doctors on Monday.
Southgate decided against filling the void left by Saka's absence, though, despite Sterling's outstanding performance at Burnley. That baffling decision could come back to haunt him when England host Italy in their next Euro 2024 qualifier, given Sterling's wealth of experience against top-level opposition.
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Getty/GOALSouthgate's favourites
Kane is probably the only player to have done more in an England shirt than Sterling during Southgate's reign, which is why he was considered untouchable for so long. But his status as one of the England manager's 'favourites' has been revoked. Sterling could scarcely be doing more to reignite his international career, while a number of other players are still being selected despite stagnating at club level.
Harry Maguire has fallen way down the defensive pecking order at Manchester United, but is still a fixture in Southgate's England backline. Jordan Henderson, who is now plying his trade in Saudi Arabia and looks way past his peak at 33, is also still a mainstay, along with Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips.
These players are not in the England squad on merit, and that sets a worrying precedent. Sterling might well continue to shine at Chelsea as the season progresses, but it won't guarantee him a return to the England fold.
"It beats me (why Sterling isn’t in the England squad). He has his ups and downs but when he has his good games he’s the X-factor," former Three Lions midfielder Paul Merson recently told . "When you want to win World Cup and European Championships you have to have someone out of the ordinary.
"If they all play to their best in a one-off game he will effect the game. More than anybody he has got that. He scores goals, he’s got pace. Of course he has his bad game, but how he’s not in that England squad is beyond me."
Merson is absolutely right, and that lack of "X-factor" could be exactly what prevents Southgate from ending his tenure with some tangible success.